As a complement to our Arawak language information, here is our collection of indexed links about the Arawak tribe and their society.The emphasis of these pages is on Arawaks and other American Indians as living people with a present and a future as well as a past. Arawak history is interesting and important, but the Arawak Indians are still here today, too, and we try to feature modern writers as well as traditional folklore, contemporary art as well as museum pieces, and the life and struggles of today as well as the forced migrations and tragedies of yesterday. Suggestions for new links are always welcome.
Arawak Indian Language (Lokono, Arawaks)
Language: Arawak, also known as Lokono, is an Arawakan language of South America. It is an agglutinating language with SVO word order. Some indigenous Caribbean tribes who once spoke related Arawakan languages, such as the Tainos of Haiti and the Bahamas and the "Island Caribs" of Dominica, are also sometimes referred to as Arawaks, but their languages were distinct. The Lokono Arawak language is sometimes called "true Arawak" or "Arawak proper" to distinguish it from other languages of the Arawakan language family, like Taino and Kalhipona. Lokono Arawak is spoken by about 2500 people in Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana, and Venezuela, and was once spoken on neighboring Caribbean islands like Barbados as well.
Names: Arawak is a tribal name from their own language referring to their main crop food, the cassava root (also known as manioc.) The Arawaks also call themselves Lokono, which means "the people," and sometimes refer to the Arawak language as Lokono Dian, "the people's speech." Alternate spellings of these names include Arawák, Arahuaco, Aruak, Arowak, Arawac, Araguaco, Aruaqui, Arwuak, Arrowukas, Arahuacos, Locono, and Luccumi.
Arawak Words (Lokono)
Welcome to our Arawak vocabulary page! Arawak, also known as Lokono, is an Arawakan language, related to other languages like Guajiro and Piapoco. We have included twenty basic Arawak words here, to compare with related American Indian languages. You can find more Arawak Indian words in our online picture glossaries. If you'd like to know an Arawak word that is not in these wordlists, you can take part in our translation of Native American languages fundraiser or visit our main Arawak language site for more free resources.
